Telefónica CTO: 5G expansion “faster than any other technology before”

By: MRT Desk

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Telefónica CTO: 5G expansion "faster than any other technology before"

A new mobile network operator is about to enter the German market. That will change the competitive landscape, but it is also a technological risk: 1 & 1 wants to build its network entirely on the basis of Open RAN. The established network operators are also seriously concerned with Open RAN, which promises more flexibility and less dependence on suppliers. There is still no talk of widespread use – and 1 & 1 will probably not start operating the network before 2023 either.

In the meantime, the active network operators are continuing to expand their 5G network. 1 & 1 CEO Ralph Dommermuth wants “in contrast to our competitors only to build real 5G”. He is thereby emphasizing the widespread use of Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), with which Telekom and Vodafone in particular have quickly expanded 5G. But the expansion of 5G to the frequencies designated for it in the 3.6 GHz band is also making progress.

Mallik Rao, CTO and CDO of Telefónica Germany.

Mallik Rao, CTO and CDO of Telefónica Germany.

(Image: Telefónica Germany)

At Telekom, 1,800 antennas are on the air in 30 cities in the 3.6 GHz band. At Vodafone, which already has its first network areas in 5G standalone operation, there are 1,000 antennas. Telefónica Deutschland does not use DSS on a large scale and now has 2,300 antennas in 5G operation at 3.6 GHz. Mallik Rao, CTO of Telefónica Deutschland, answered our questions about the current expansion status in the O2 network, “real 5G” and the opportunities of Open RAN.

Telefónica started the 5G rollout a little later than the competition. How are you progressing?

This year we ignited our 5G expansion turbo. Although we only started our O2 5G network in five cities in October 2020, we have made enormous progress since then. In our O2 network, 2,300 5G antennas are now broadcasting in over 80 cities on the powerful 3.6 GHz frequency. We are currently the driver of real 5G in Germany.

What is the situation like in the five major cities where you started?

In our federal capital, Berlin, we already offer a very strong and well-developed 5G network with around 450 5G antennas at 3.6 GHz. In our hometown of Munich, there are over 200 5G antennas that cover large parts of the city. In addition, we are expanding our 5G network in a targeted manner in important urban infrastructures and places. In time for the IAA Mobility, we are completely supplying the Munich exhibition center and the so-called “Blue Lane” of the A94 with 5G. But we are also making great strides with our 5G expansion in Hamburg, Cologne and Frankfurt. We are already offering our 5G network in the most important German cities, and many more will follow by the end of the year.

Is there still the prospect of nationwide expansion by 2025?

We are right on schedule with our 5G expansion. By the end of 2021 we will supply 30 percent of the German population with 5G, and by 2025 all of Germany. We are thus expanding 5G faster than any other technology before. While the 4G expansion took around ten years, we will offer full coverage with 5G within five years. Our company is currently in a high investment phase. A large part of the 4 billion euros in investments between 2020 and 2022 will be used to expand our 5G network.

Ralph Dommermuth has accused the competition of not building a “real 5G”. Do you feel addressed?

That will certainly not have gone our way. We said from the start that we would not expand our network nationwide with DSS. We have been using the powerful 3.6 GHz frequencies since the start of our O2 5G network. We are already delivering a strong and therefore genuine 5G network in over 80 cities. Our customers notice this in their digital everyday life: According to the speed test specialist Ookla, we currently offer the fastest 5G network in Germany with O2. We are thus also showing the advantages real 5G offers customers compared to dynamic spectrum sharing, which combines 4G and 5G.

In the future, we will use DSS technology very consciously in selected areas where we consider it a sensible 4G expansion. The first test locations are already live. The focus of our 5G expansion will continue to be on 3.6 GHz, supplemented by higher-range frequencies in order to bring 5G into the area even faster.

What about 5G standalone?

We are technically able to offer our customers a nationwide 5G standalone network. Our new 5G standalone core network is already active, for example in our data centers in Munich and Düsseldorf. As soon as 5G standalone brings real added value for the mass market, we will activate the technology nationwide, for example if enough end devices support 5G SA technologically.

We always have to think from the customer’s point of view here. With 5G standalone, applications such as mobile gaming, virtual and augmented reality will be able to develop their full potential in the future. And already now, 5G SA brings advantages in industrial networking solutions, so that we can set up customized 5G industrial networks here for companies.

1 & 1 wants to build up its entire network with Open RAN. Telefónica is also testing the technology in live operation. What are your experiences?

We were the first German network operator to successfully bring Open RAN from the laboratory to our live network. Several Open RAN locations in the Bavarian Landsberg am Lech have been broadcasting since December 2020. In the past few months we have been able to gain valuable experience with regard to the operation and optimization of the technology, which will be incorporated into our future expansion plans.

You are planning to bring more Open RAN locations into operation. Has it started yet?

We will start rolling out additional Open RAN locations in autumn this year. The innovative technological approach of Open RAN offers us significantly greater flexibility in the selection of manufacturers. In addition, we will be able to integrate new services into the network much faster.

Is the technology ready for a large-scale rollout?

When bidding for the expansion of our 5G network two years ago, we looked at Open-RAN solutions in addition to the offers from the established network equipment providers. We see the potential and innovative strength of this technology. That is why we have also advanced as a technological pioneer in Germany at Open RAN and have put the first locations into live operation.

But for the development of our nationwide 5G network, we ultimately opted for the technologies of the leading network equipment providers, which we believe are even more powerful and reliable. As the operator of a nationwide mobile network that reliably connects 45 million private and business customers every day, we have an enormous responsibility that we take very seriously.

Our network transported one billion gigabytes in the past six months. The operation and expansion of a cellular network is a highly complex matter. That is why we always bring the implementation of technology innovations such as Open RAN, Cloud or virtualization solutions in line with stable network operation for our customers. On this basis, we are consistently transforming our network and setting the course for Germany’s digital future.


(vbr)

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